In the wake of devastating building collapses in factories in Bangladesh and Cambodia, the high cost of cheap production has once again been laid bare. It behooves us all to read labels. Here we profile ten designers who can trace the who, what, and where of their collections.

“It’s a way of giving back, even if only in a small way, to the country that gave me the opportunity to do what I am doing,” says New York–based Nepalese designer Prabal Gurung, of making 98 percent of his collection in Manhattan (the other two percent includes belts, made in Italy, and tees in Peru). He can walk from his West Thirty-seventh Street studio to the garment district factories that produce his clothes, which gives him peace of mind, not only when it comes to monitoring quality, but working conditions too. With frequent visits, Gurung can watch over every aspect of the process. “It’s almost like a couture house, with hours of labor and the utmost care put into every piece,” he says. “It’s time-consuming and incredibly detail-oriented.” What’s more, for a young, growing label such as his, working like this is also crucial. So, it’s a win-win for all: Gurung, the skilled men and women who turn his ideas into beautiful, tangible things, and the women who can feel good about wearing them.